Apr 8, 2020
Today we’re going to jump in on ways you can adjust your finances during the coronavirus crisis to get through these tough times!
Getting Your Finances Stabilized During the Coronavirus Crisis
Even though it’s been less than a month since schools closed here in Raleigh, it feels like a lifetime ago.
And chances are things can feel that way to you.
Right now it’s estimated that over 300 million here in America are under stay at home orders.
I truly hope that you’re doing well and that you’re able to work remotely or at least have some steady income coming in. However, I know from emails that some have seen their hours drastically reduced, they’ve been furloughed, or they’ve been laid off.
It’s tough to figure out the next steps when we’re in the middle of things, but there are ways we can prepare and pivot to get through these financially tough times.
Joe Mecca, VP of Communication at Coastal Credit Union has been out there letting those in the community know what resources out there.
Today he’s on the show to discuss things you can do now and over the next few months.
In this episode, we’ll get into:
- Figuring out how to reprioritize your budget
- How much of a financial cushion should you have with these certain times
- Where to look for relief programs (more than just the CARE Act)
Let’s get started!
Resources to Easily Stay on Top of Your Money
Here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out:
- Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Honeyfi
- Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank
- Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money
- Your Money: A Hub for Help During the Coronavirus Crisis via The NY Times
Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal!
Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today!
We’ve been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services.
If you're a member and you've been financially affected by the coronavirus, Coastal has a member assistance program to ease the burden.
How to Reprioritize Your Budget
Let’s jump right in to the big issue that is stressing out many families – how are we going to pay our bills?
We’re grateful to still be able to work remotely, but that isn’t the case for all. Some industries like restaurants, hospitality, and service have seen been hit hard, with many losing their main source of income.
I was reading that in the week that ended March 28, over 6.6 million people filed for unemployment.
So if you’re in that situation where you are looking at struggling to budget, how do you prioritize what bills get paid?
When things were closing down and the Cares Act hadn’t passed, Any Hill from Marriage Kids and Money and I shared our thought process in a video on the Thriving Families group.
It was about focusing on two goals for the month – pay your essentials (roof over your head, food, utilities) and building up your emergency fund if you didn’t have at least 3 months stashed away already.
And I do believe that they should be your priorities, but with some relief options being offered by lenders, protections from states and the Cares Act, Joe points out a path you can use in your budget.
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Music Credit
Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere